Journalist Mahfuz Ullah dies

Noted journalist Mahfuz Ullah passed away at a hospital in Thailand on Saturday morning.

He was 69.

The journalist, who was on life support at Bumrungrad International Hospital, breathed his last around 10:05am (Bangladesh time).

“My father is no more. He breathed his last at 10:05 am today. We are taking preparations to take his body home as early as possible after completing necessary formalities,” his daughter Nusrat Humaira told UNB.

Mahfuz Ullah had been suffering from various complications of the heart, kidney and lungs. He was flown to Thailand on 10 April for advanced treatment.

He was politically active since his student life and had taken part in the 11-point movement. He was expelled from Dhaka College for his activism.

Born in Noakhali in 1950, Mahfuz Ullah obtained MA degrees in physics and journalism from Dhaka University.

He started his career in journalism when he was a student and had been associated with the then popular weekly “Bichitra” since its inception in 1972.

He also worked at the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata as a “China expert” and taught at Dhaka University’s journalism department.

Mahfuz Ullah had hosted radio and television shows and been involved with leading Bangla and English dailies in the country.

He has also authored more than 50 books in Bangla and English, apart from editing a number of others.

Books edited by him include the biographies of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia, the mass uprising of 1969, insurgency in Assam, and independent Bangladesh.